Driving in Croatia

But if you’re planning a road trip to Croatia, it’s essential you’re fully prepared ahead of time as driving there has many differences to the UK. 

To make your trip to the Continent as safe and effortless as possible, we’ve put together a guide to everything you need to know before you go, from required documents to rules of the road.

Driving a rented vehicle? Jump to the advice for driving a hire car in Croatia section.  

RAC European Breakdown Cover (Basic and Comprehensive) provides a wide range of benefits should you breakdown in Croatia to ensure you stay safe. 

To supplement this, RAC also offers travel insurance. Cover will include medical expenses, baggage, personal money and belongings, among many other benefits.

• Need single trip European Breakdown Cover? Get a quote
• Travel abroad a lot? Check out the RAC Annual European breakdown cover
• Want to compare European breakdown cover before you buy? See how the RAC compares to the AA and Greenflag

Need short-term insurance for your vehicle? Our temporary car cover is perfect if you're looking for flexible insurance for between 1 hour and 30 days.

In an emergency

Emergency telephones linked to an SOS network are installed at 2km intervals along motorways. 

112 - Here's a really important bit of knowledge; you can dial 112 from anywhere in Europe and an operator will connect you to an emergency service in the country you're visiting. 

Operators can answer your call in their native language, English or French. 

Visitors must be aged 18 or over and hold a full, valid driving licence to legally drive in Croatia. Riders of motorcycles up to 125cc must be aged 16 or over, while moped (not exceeding 50cc) riders must be aged 15 or over.  

Driving licences issued in EU and EEA countries are accepted. International driving permits are recognised, but not required.

Vehicles from the UK can be temporarily imported into Croatia for up to 6 months per 12-month period. In order to stay on the right side of the law, the following documents should always be carried:

• Full, valid UK driving licence
• Proof of ID (passport)
• Motor insurance certificate
• V5 registration document

Do I need a GB or UK sticker for driving in Croatia?

Since 28th September 2021, the distinguishing mark (or national identifier) displayed on vehicles registered in the United Kingdom that are driven abroad has changed from GB to UK.  

This means that vehicles registered in the UK must display the letters “UK” when driven in Croatia.   

The identifier can be incorporated in vehicle number plates (along with the Union Flag) or as a separate sticker. Note that vehicles featuring the letters GB together with the Council of Europe golden stars are no longer valid for driving abroad.

If your vehicle does not have the UK identifier within the number plate, you will require a UK sticker when driving in Croatia. GB stickers will no longer be valid from the end of September.

Do I need an insurance green card?

From 2nd August 2021, drivers will no longer require an insurance green card for taking their vehicles to Croatia.

ETIAS – 2025

ETIAS stands for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System. It is a visa program for visitors who don’t need a Schengen visa, who want to travel to the European Union and a few other European countries.

Visitors who purchase an ETIAS will be able to enter the 26 member states of the Schengen Zone as well as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania.

This will be launching in 2025. Learn more about ETIAS here.

In addition to required documents, motorists are also required by law to carry the following items when driving to avoid fines:

• Reflective jackets (mandatory to carry in your vehicle and wear if you have to get out of the vehicle in an emergency or breakdown)
• Warning triangle (compulsory in all vehicles) 
• Headlamp beam deflectors (depending on your car, you will either need deflector stickers or have to adjust the beam manually)
• First-aid kit (compulsory in all vehicles)
• Crash helmets are compulsory for riders of mopeds and motorcycles

Is there anything that I shouldn’t take with me?

Be aware that you cannot take the following with you into Croatia:

• meat or products containing meat
• milk or dairy products

You cannot take the following unless you pay to have them inspected before you leave and get a ‘phytosanitary certificate’:

• fresh fruit (apart from bananas, coconuts, dates, pineapples and durians)
• vegetables
• plants
• plant products

Overtaking and passing

In Croatia, motorists drive on the right and overtake on the left. 

Overtaking laws are dictated by the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic 1968, which include rules that state:

• Drivers should not overtake when approaching or on an intersection, level crossing or pedestrian crossing
• Vehicles being overtaken should keep close to the right-hand side of the carriageway and not accelerate

Warning of approach

Horns should be used in moderation and where necessary to avoid a collision or accident. 

Towing

Camper vans and cars with caravans are not allowed to exceed 12 metres in length, 4 metres in height and 2.55 metres in width. 

Seat belts

It’s compulsory to wear seat belts in the front and rear seats of cars equipped with belts. 

The fine for failing to wear a seat belt is 500 HRK. 

Traffic lights

The international three-colour traffic light system is used in Croatia.

Croatia uses the metric system for all road signs, meaning speed limits and other road signs including distance are indicated using kilometres and metres. These are the general speed limits for private cars:

Special speed restrictions apply to certain classes of vehicle, including mopeds, motorhomes and vehicles with trailers, as well as newly-qualified drivers, so check before travel.

Speeding fines in Croatia range from 300 HRK (around £35) to 15,000 HRK (around £1,825) depending on the speed at which offenders are caught, and the road on which they’re driving.

Children under the age of 12 cannot sit in the front seat of a vehicle unless aged under 2 and placed in a restraint system adapted to their size, and the airbag deactivated (if using a rear-facing seat). 

A child up to 5 years of age must be placed in a seat adapted to his/her size on the rear seat. A child aged between 5 and 12 must travel on the back seat using a 3-point seat belt with booster seat if necessary for their height.

Bike helmet law

Bike helmets are not compulsory in Croatia unless the rider is under the age of 16.

Cyclists riding at night must wear a reflective jacket. 

Camper vans and cars with caravans are not allowed to exceed 12 metres in length, 4 metres in height and 2.55 metres in width.

Loads mustn’t exceed 11.5 tonnes at the drive axle and 10 tonnes at a single axle.

Please note: The Department for Transport advises that A-frames are not legal for use by UK campers and caravanners abroad. In practice, this could mean towing your car while it’s fixed to a trailer.*

On-the-spot fines

Police can impose on-the-spot fines to drivers of foreign-registered cars and may confiscate the passport of a motorist until the fine is paid. Offenders have to have their payment received within eight days. 

Minimum and maximum fines

Fines range from 300 HRK for a minor speeding offence to 15,000 HRK for driving under the influence of drugs. 

Some motoring offences are considered criminal offences and can also lead to licence revocation, vehicle confiscation and a possible prison sentence.

Confiscation of vehicles

A vehicle can be confiscated should a motorist who’s had their licence suspended continue to drive. 

Parking regulations

Parking is prohibited on or near a bend, intersection or brow of a hill, and in areas reserved for other activities, like bus/tram stops and taxis. 

Paid parking

In Zagreb, there are parking regulations in place which split the city’s parking areas into three zones: red, yellow and green. The red zone is closest to the city centre and has the highest parking charges and strictest restrictions. 

Enforcement of parking regulations

Illegally-parked vehicles are likely to be clamped and a fine must be paid to have the vehicle released.

Disabled parking access

EU-issued disabled permits should be recognised in Croatia.

There are around 1,000 disabled parking spaces in Zagreb alone, although misuse of these spaces continues to be a problem in the city. 

Legal limit

The limit for drivers of private vehicles is 0.05%.

For professional drivers (driving a bus, coach, HGV or public service vehicle), as well as for younger drivers (up to the age of 24), the limit is 0.00%.

Drink-driving test

Tests are carried out at random by the Croatian police, using breath tests, medical exams and blood or urine samples. All road users may undergo a breath test following a traffic accident.

Like many other European countries, Croatia has motorways and other highways with tolls. You can pay for them with cash or a credit card and some even accept foreign currencies like the Euro. 

A pre-paid SMART card system exists for motorists which provides a 10% discount on toll charges, although motorists must register ahead of time to use this system. 

Croatian service areas

There are many service areas along the Croatian motorways.

Availability of fuel

Alongside petrol and diesel, only LPG is widely available in Croatia. Most fuel stations accept payment by credit card. 

Fuel prices in Croatia can be found in our up-to-date European fuel prices page.

Not all of the information in the guide above will be relevant to those looking to rent a hire car in Croatia. Though it might be a good idea to read through everything anyway, here are the most important things to know for drivers of rental vehicles:

Rental information

• The minimum age to hire a car is 21, although this may vary depending on the vehicle type
• You need a full, valid UK driving licence and usually a second proof of ID (passport)
• Car rental companies ask that you have held your licence for a minimum term of 1 year
• Some companies may require you to use a credit card for deposit
• You may not be able to drive outside of Croatia unless planned in advance - check with your hire company first
• Make sure you get car hire excess insurance before your trip to protect yourself from unexpected costs. It's almost always cheaper to do this with a separate insurer and in advance

Hire car driving tips

• Croatians drive on the right - the opposite to the UK
• The national speed limit on motorways in Croatia, unless otherwise indicated on local signage, is between 110km/h (68mph) and 130km/h (80 mph). On a main road outside a built-up area it's 90 km/h. For built-up areas it’s 50km/h.
• Dial 112 in an emergency
• If seat belts are fitted to your car, they must be worn by both drivers and passengers.
• The blood alcohol content limit for drivers of private vehicles is 0.05%. That's lower than the 0.08% in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but the same as Scotland.

UK Government travel advice

See up-to-date travel advice